country nights, city lightshttp://kellymrivard.com
Sat, 20 Jun 2015 07:40:01 +0000enhourly1http://wordpress.com/http://0.gravatar.com/blavatar/ee76357ddacb656445888cc2192b9dc2?s=96&d=http%3A%2F%2Fs2.wp.com%2Fi%2Fbuttonw-com.pngcountry nights, city lightshttp://kellymrivard.com
What I Learned from Dropping Out of My First Half Marathonhttp://kellymrivard.com/2015/04/19/what-i-learned-from-dropping-out-of-my-first-half-marathon/
http://kellymrivard.com/2015/04/19/what-i-learned-from-dropping-out-of-my-first-half-marathon/#commentsSun, 19 Apr 2015 22:06:06 +0000http://kellymrivard.com/?p=3043Continue reading →]]>My alarm went off at 4:30 a.m. yesterday. I woke up, took some time to process how early it was and why I was up, and then got dressed. The outfit I put on had been carefully laid out the night before, with much excitement and trepidation. My official race tech shirt, my favorite running leggings — the only moisture wicking pair I own, since my rigorous training schedule had rendered all of my other ones too large.

At 6:45, we hopped into a crowd of thousands of people, pumped full of adrenaline and optimism and excitement. Brandi was shooting for a sub 2 hour half marathon. I was just hoping not to be in serious pain by the time all of this was over. I gave Brandi a good luck high five as she kicked up her pace and I fell into a comfortable trot, settling into a crew of people that fit my pace better.

At the first checkpoint, I ran into a co-worker. We paced together for a while. By the second check point, I’d decided I would do what most distance runners dread: dropping out of the race.

But, it wasn’t a surprise. I’d known from the start I would have to drop out. You see, 10 weeks into training, I developed a pretty nasty case of plantar fasciitis. And, there was no way I could possibly finish the race without causing further injury.

After just shy of 4 miles in the Brew To Brew Relay for Cystic Fibrosis on 4/12, I had trouble fitting into my running shoe…which I wear on the big side.

The days leading up to the race were an emotional roller-coaster. I’d been working toward my first half marathon for almost three months — and then I had to wrestle with whether or not to try it, whether or not to run in the charity relay I was doing the week before, whether or not I would have to cancel on Brandi when we’d both invested a lot of time, money and planning into it.

Just days before the Garmin Oz Run Half Marathon, and less than a week after forcing 4 miles in the Brew To Brew charity relay, I made my final decision: I would start the race, and I would stop when my foot told me to. In this case, it was at the second checkpoint, just under 3.5 miles in.

But, it was a GREAT learning experience. Even if I didn’t finish, I did gain a ton of experience and insight. Here’s some what I learned:

Distance running impacts most parts of your life. My social life, my work/life balance, my eating habits, my dynamics with Josh…all of these were impacted by running. And, honestly, most of the impacts were for the better. My mood, my energy levels, my quantity of “me time” sorting through things, and my health were all included.

Distance running is great for your self-esteem. I’m insecure and competitive by nature — these two qualities don’t always play nice with each other. But, when it comes to distance running, the only competition was myself. It’s given me something to work toward and feel good about, without all the psychological dynamics of competing against others. And if I didn’t beat myself? Well, I still technically won.

Listening to your body is a learned skill. I felt twinges in my heal during my run on a Monday. I was in full-blown, can-barely-walk-pain 3/4 of a mile from my office on Tuesday afternoon. I learned a hard lesson, and have been much wiser about listening to my body since then. I hopped out of the half just in time to save myself a lot of pain in the following days.

The running community is full of amazing people. I think there are very few sports where you can be as bad as I am at running, and everyone is still thrilled you’re there. Performance athlete, struggling amateur, or newbie wheezing on the shoulder…no matter what, everyone’s just happy you’re here and giving it your best! The comradery along the race course should be bottled and handed out to politicians — maybe then we could have enough cooperation in Washington, D.C.

Running requires support. Between all my amazing running friends who set me on this path, my family, and my wonderful boyfriend, I had a lot of support. Knowing I was disappointed at the idea of not finishing, Josh showed up the night before the race with flowers. I’d told him not to come, since I was planning on turning it into a 5k, but he still wanted me to know how proud he was of all my training and tenacity.

Don’t necessarily plan on losing weight…but you may lose inches. I didn’t plan on losing weight as a side-effect of training. I had no idea what to expect, actually. And while the scale didn’t tip to far down from when I started, the increase in muscle tone and change in body fat % meant I had to buy new training gear about halfway through. It’s a good problem to have. (Results may vary.)

You deserve to be proud of yourself. I may have only run about 1/4 of the race, but I trained like a boss for 10 weeks. My body changed drastically, my average mile pace increased significantly, and I’d learned so much about myself. And, honestly, my 3.5 miles at a 12 minute mile outpaced everyone who was still in bed on Saturday morning!

I’m sure if I say here long enough, I could think of plenty more lessons learned from the training process, the injury, and dropping out. But, I’m happy with the outcome. I’m happy with how I performed. I’m happy I could cheer Brandi on as she crossed the finish line of the 2015 Garmin Oz Run Half Marathon. And I’m happy to take some rest time to rehab and recover…so I can get a little closer to finishing a half marathon this fall.

My favorite part of the day? Cheering on Brandi as she finished with great time, and right before the rain got bad.

Run fast, my friends. And wish me a happy rest period!

Okay, maybe my favorite part of the very long day was this nap with Zelda, which Josh thought was picture-worthy.

]]>http://kellymrivard.com/2015/04/19/what-i-learned-from-dropping-out-of-my-first-half-marathon/feed/3plantar fasciitis and running brew to brewkellymrivardBrandi Buzzard Frobose and Kelly Rivard Garmin Half Marathonplantar fasciitis and running brew to brewBrandi Buzzard Frobose Garmin Oz Run Half Marathonnapping after the Garmin Oz Run Half MarathonSuburban Running in Kansas City’s Northlandhttp://kellymrivard.com/2015/03/16/suburban-running/
http://kellymrivard.com/2015/03/16/suburban-running/#commentsTue, 17 Mar 2015 03:15:41 +0000http://kellymrivard.com/?p=3037Continue reading →]]>So, when I moved to Kansas City, I made a point to live downtown. I had it in my head that I had to go “all or nothing” — and I immersed myself. At the same time, I was starting the process of losing 40 pounds. For the first time in my life, I was invested in fitness. I was running 4-6 times a week and it was amidst the bustle and energy of the greater downtown area. (It was a big change from high school soccer conditioning in a town of 2,000 people or jogging along my parents’ gravel road!)

I memorized the narrow side streets of the Rivermarket. I cut across the Crossroads on Southwest Boulevard. I counted steps up and down the circuit of the Liberty Memorial. Running was a pivotal part of KC becoming my home. Those streets became “my streets” and I accomplished great feats on them.

Then, I fell in love, was laid off from my job downtown, and decided it was time for some change. So, I found a new, more affordable apartment in the Northland.

While I still live in KCMO, my new locale is decidedly more suburban, which completely changes the dynamics of my run. Here are just a few ways:

City blocks make mapping out runs and adjusting distances easy. Suburban neighborhoods aren’t typically as linear. Apartment complexes, cul de sac neighborhoods and meandering roadways make it a lot harder to plan. On long runs, there are a few ways to adapt:

Wandering up and down intricate residential streets just to eek out more distance; OR

Heading to the closest main road you can find that offers a long straight shot; OR

Researching running paths, trails and tracks.

I wanted to put in 5 miles. It required some odd trips through neighborhoods, and some extra loops through Josh’s neighborhood — but I did it!

The suburbs take a different kind of savvy to stay safe. Whereas downtown Kansas City is more on the “pedestrian friendly” side, suburban Kansas City is not. There are long stretches of main road that don’t have stoplights, so it’s up to you to be smart about crossing. There are also plenty of stretches of street up here that don’t have sidewalks at all. There’s a hill I’d love to conquer near my apartment, but I wouldn’t dare run on the shoulder.

Suburban Kansas City has hidden gems, and if you kind them it’ll take your running to the next level. Recently, I decided to explore the greenway system that runs past both me and Josh’s apartment complexes. It’s a gorgeous blend of carefully paved pathways and dirt trails that fork off, for more adventurous folks. I’ve put in several long runs on these paths, and have even done some light hiking on the connected trails. I don’t think I’ve ever enjoyed running so much!

From my first run on the Northland greenway — it’s absolutely gorgeous and I can’t wait to see it green up! Also, I’m a Hufflepuff. This is Josh’s hat. He’s a Gryffindor.

Winter running is harder. In downtown Kansas City, the sidewalks kind of “have” to be maintained. Since there aren’t a lot of pedestrians up here, the need for clean sidewalks in the harsh winter isn’t as high. Most runners I know here in the Northland stick to the treadmills in the chilly weather.

Watch for animals. Whether the idea of seeing a deer, raccoon or fox excites or terrifies you, keep an eye out. Not only will you see more dogs on and off leash in the suburbs, you also run a higher risk of crossing paths with Bambi, Flower, Todd and many other animals you may have only seen in a zoo or a Disney movie.

Shower beer after 6 miles tastes just as good in the suburbs as in the city.

In the last week, I’ve seen a fox, a deer and more dogs than I can count.

That’s what I have off the top of my head. Do any of my running fans have additional insight into the dynamics of urban, suburban or even rural running? I’d love to hear from you in the comments!

]]>http://kellymrivard.com/2015/03/16/suburban-running/feed/4running in the suburbskellymrivardsuburban runninghow to pace yourself in runningHard Decisionshttp://kellymrivard.com/2015/02/25/hard-decisions/
http://kellymrivard.com/2015/02/25/hard-decisions/#commentsThu, 26 Feb 2015 02:34:09 +0000http://kellymrivard.com/?p=3033Continue reading →]]>I’m an over-committer. I want to support all the worthy causes, fix all of the world’s problems, and help all of the people. I’ve been told my inability to say “no” to people and causes is a blessing and a curse. I always have the best intentions of helping, but sometimes at a cost.

Today, I made the very tough decision to step away from a cause I’ve been very passionate about for six years. I’ve devoted many hours, a lot of money, and limitless passion to Relay For Life. And today, I told our event’s American Cancer Society representative and our co-chairs that I will be stepping back.

If you have ever experienced a Luminaria ceremony at a Relay For Life event, or seen the triumph in the Survivor’s Lap, you would know why this is such a hard decision. Josh took this picture at the 2013 Relay For Life of KCMO – my first Relay with this committee.

I wanted to stay until our event in mid-May. I wanted to tough it out as long as I could and avoid leaving anyone high and dry. I thought “taking one for the team” was the right thing to do. In hindsight, it was the selfish thing.

A combination of work and other commitments has been causing a sort of systematic burnout on my end. I won’t go into detail, but life has been slowly escalating to a barely-manageable form of “hectic” lately. And even if some of the stress is good, exciting stress, it’s still stress.

And in that stress, I slowly began to “check out” of Relay things. In bursts of energy, I’d have big plans and ideas, but barely any time or energy to execute them when it mattered. I convinced myself that I was still doing good work, but really I was staying because the idea of life without Relay For Life was foreign to me. And, frankly, the idea that my friends from Relay would like me less if I stepped back was terrifying.

But, that’s not how friends work.

In fact, the two wonderful women who co-chair this Relay For Life event seemed relieved. Our committee has very high standards for quality of work and passion — and I think those who knew me best could see me fizzling. I was in denial.

It wasn’t until last night, when I saw a new Relay email in my inbox and cringed, that I realized how cold the embers of my passion had grown. I had lost my fire. And as sad as it was to make the decision, sending the email with my resignation brought about the biggest feeling of relief I’ve ever experienced.

We have a lot of new talented on the committee this year, and someone fresh and vibrant can pick up where I left off. I don’t have to stress about doing sub-par work, and someone else gets to fill my previous position with renewed energy and a fresh perspective. And, I can devote more energy to taking care of myself in the way I need.

It was one of the hardest decisions I’ve ever made, but the hard decisions are the ones that need to be made most.

]]>http://kellymrivard.com/2015/02/25/hard-decisions/feed/3relay for life luminariakellymrivardrelay for life luminariaPacing, and Conquering the Second Milehttp://kellymrivard.com/2015/02/23/pacing-and-conquering-the-second-mile/
http://kellymrivard.com/2015/02/23/pacing-and-conquering-the-second-mile/#commentsTue, 24 Feb 2015 03:17:10 +0000http://kellymrivard.com/?p=3026Continue reading →]]>I’m right at the start of week 5 of training for my first half marathon, along with my friend/cheerleader Brandi. We’ve agreed to (try to) write one blog post about training, nutrition, fitness, running, etc. during the process. You can read some of my other recent posts about running here:

(I’m a little late on Week 4’s post, so I’m going to try and do 2 to get all my thoughts in!)

So, knowing this is my first training cycle for a distance race, I’ve learned so much in my first month of training. First off, my everyday posture is horrible, and I’m using a LOT of muscle to try and correct it. I’ve learned more about food and how my body reacts to is as fuel, but that’s a post for later.

And, I’ve learned that pacing is everything.

My first outdoor long run of half marathon training. 5.5 miles on a beautiful woodland running path. And my boyfriend’s Gryffindor stocking cap. I want the record to reflect that I’m all Hufflepuff.

I know this SOUNDS like a basic principle of running, but one of the first rules of distance running is this: pace yourself. And it’s hard. Way harder than most people think. I know seasoned ultra-marathon runners that will even tell you they struggle with pacing.

As someone to does all things with the utmost enthusiasm, this is definitely a challenge for me. When I feel good at the start of a run (which sometimes is not the case), I want to throw myself into the wind and run with unbridled excitement. Especially outside. And, spoiler alert: marathons tend to be outside.

Whether it’s because you operate in a pretty much constant state of “SO EXCITED” like me, or you just lack self-control, pacing is hard.

One nice thing about treadmill running (there are not many) is that I can experiment more with pacing and see direct results. If I drop is down .1 miles per hour, can I eek out a another tenth of a mile or 2 before a walking break? And once I got to a low enough speed, could I just cover up my treadmill screen and maintain speed until my body told me to walk for a bit?

(I know, a lot of cool kids don’t take walking breaks. I take a LOT of them. My legs are about 2/3 the length of most people’s and I have a long history of breathing problems. Running is all about pushing yourself within healthy limits.)

Prior to playing around with my pacing on a treadmill, I struggled with my second mile. My first mile would always feel good, and then I’d hit the second mile and just feel awful. I knew it was probably because I wasn’t pacing myself well, but it took a long process of forcefully slowing myself down and experimenting with speeds to figure out just how slow I should have really been going.

And let me tell you, you do not need to be sprinting to be running. And where I was previously was much closer to a sprint than a comfortable distance pace.

I found what I thought was a sweet spot. And then on my next outdoor run, without treadmills (and iPads with Netflix) I worked at translating the numbers on the speed section of my treadmill screen into reality.

I never lot a beat during my second mile. And I ran the fasted 3-miler I have run in over 2 years. (That said, it’s still slower than most people. And the other 2.5 miles I ran took significantly longer. But, I was still proud.)

I had conquered the second mile.

So, a piece of advice for aspiring runners? Early on, spend less time aiming for miles and times and more time getting to know your body. Are there things about your posture that help or hurt? If you drop your speed a few notches, can you squeeze out a few more steps without needing a break? Pacing is far from being the only mechanical question you’ll need to inspect regarding your run.

Get to know yourself. Get to know your body. Chances are, your mind is wrong and your body is trying to set you on the right course.

]]>http://kellymrivard.com/2015/02/23/pacing-and-conquering-the-second-mile/feed/0pacing and runningkellymrivardhow to pace yourself in runningMy First Half: Week 3 of Training.http://kellymrivard.com/2015/02/10/my-first-half-week-3-of-training/
http://kellymrivard.com/2015/02/10/my-first-half-week-3-of-training/#commentsTue, 10 Feb 2015 23:15:14 +0000http://kellymrivard.com/?p=3019Continue reading →]]>5 months ago, I was on medical hold from any physical activity beyond walking to-and-from places due to unexplained heart problems. The problems were resolved, and in January I was cleared to exercise again. (That story is a blog post for another day.)

The day I found out, my friend Brandi messaged me and was like, “Hey, remember how we talked theoretically about running a half marathon together? Now that your heart is good, it’s time to start training.”

And I agreed. And now, Brandi and I are encouraging each other to write at least one blog post about training/fitness/running a week leading up to our April 18th race date.

We’re both using Hal Higdon’s half marathon training system (there’s even an app). The difference is, Brandi is more experienced with distance. (This will be her third half marathon.) I’m a sprinter with very little history in racing — I ran to feel better and manage stress, not to hit times or reach a certain distance. I like frequent walking breaks and I have short legs which means I take 2-3 steps to most people’s 1. So, this is a big change for me.

Monday marked the start of Week 3 of training. My distances increase this week. I’m at a turning point in training and overall fitness now.

I’ve hit the place where the numbers on the scale aren’t dropping as quickly. It’s good, though — I’m building muscle. Instead of dropping fat weight, I’m actually holding fairly steady because that muscle weighs more. Early on, I got to enjoy the quick thrill of seeing I’d lost a few pounds. Now, it’s about the long game of slowly cultivating a stronger body.

Let’s rewind a bit: I know numbers on the scale aren’t that important. I’ve been through this process before. When I first moved to Kansas City, I worked hard to lose 40 pounds — my college/eating disorder weight. And when I hit this place last time, I struggled with it. I thought I had plateaued in my weight loss. I hadn’t — I was just entering performance mode, where I was gaining the “right kind” of weight. It took a lot to understand and appreciate that.

Now, I know better. While I still weigh myself once a week I go by what I see in the mirror and how I feel on the treadmill or pavement. I trust my body, not the numbers on the scale.

And I work. Probably harder than I’ve ever worked before.

In addition to 4 runs a week of varying length, I do core workouts (most of which involve a 10 pound medicine ball that I enjoy expressing hatred to during workouts), resistance leg training, and a little bit of weight work.

And, I talked another friend into running. Jessica will be joining Brandi and I for another race – the Kansas City Color Run, which is on my birthday weekend and is part of my “party.” That stress management part was a big reason she agreed to hop on the wagon. Like me, she’s a young advertising professional.

She starts training on Monday. (Jessica, now that it’s on the Internet, you HAVE to do it.)

(Also, if any of my Kansas City area friends would like to join our Color Run festivities, LET ME KNOW!)

So, that’s where we are. That’s week 3 of training for my first half marathon. Run fast, my friends.

]]>http://kellymrivard.com/2015/02/10/my-first-half-week-3-of-training/feed/1half marathon trainingkellymrivardhalf marathon trainingI deleted my Facebook app.http://kellymrivard.com/2015/02/09/i-deleted-my-facebook-app/
http://kellymrivard.com/2015/02/09/i-deleted-my-facebook-app/#commentsTue, 10 Feb 2015 03:58:04 +0000http://kellymrivard.com/?p=3016Continue reading →]]>A few months ago, I had this (first world) problem where I would consistently run out of space on my phone. There are sentimental pictures I refuse to delete, yet I found myself having to clear out old photos to take new ones. For an Instagram addict like me (@KMRivard, holla!) this was a problem.

For lack of a better image, here’s my Facebook account.

So, being the Type-A, obsessive, “solution-focused” person I am, I checked out my space and usage on my phone. Facebook was taking up more than 1/4 of my meager 8 gigs of space on my aging iPhone 4. (It was a gift and I lose unlimited data through Verizon if/when I upgrade. Don’t bash.)

So, after a few days of hard consideration, I deleted the Facebook app.

And here are the things I learned about myself, my phone and the world since I deleted the Facebook app from my phone.

The browser isn’t so bad. So without the app, the only option is to open the browser and view Facebook.com. Sure, I have to refresh now and then, but having my messages and the rest of Facebook visible in one place is pretty dang cool. Plus, when I click links in Facebook, it doesn’t require my phone to open another app — it just creates a new tab, which loads faster.

I have to be intentional. One downside to using the browser is that it uses the battery faster. It also runs a bit slower in general (aside from links opening faster) and tends to be more limited by the strength of signal. Knowing I could easily eat up battery aimlessly sitting on Facebook, I’ve become more intentional about my use. Instead of brainless “creeping” I’m actually logging on with goals in mind. Instead of browsing through all of Target, I’m making the difficult decision to run in and out fast and ONLY buy what I need. (That’s a bad metaphor because I’ve never actually been able to just “run in and out” of Target.)

My life has a little less noise now. I don’t just mean sound-noise. I mean I never realized how many times a day my phone would buzz at me with some random Facebook notification or message. I know I could have turned these off, but I never did. I felt like it was pointless to use Facebook if I wasn’t constantly connected to it. Now I realize that Facebook is just as good, maybe even better, with moderation.

Instagram still works. Like I said, I love me some Instagram. One concern I had was that Instagram wouldn’t link up to Facebook properly without the app. Those fears were misplaced.

I still prefer computers. Smartphones are awesome and I’d very likely be operating at less than full capacity without one. As a digital advertising professional, a lot of my career revolves around whether or not my clients are mobile-friendly. Yet in all of this I’ve found for in-depth browsing and reading, I still prefer a desktop computer over a smartphone (or even a tablet).

I’m less of a jerk. When Facebook takes more work, time and battery to open, I’m less likely to ditch the people I’m with in real-life for the sake of reading what people are doing online – I especially enjoy this because we all know the lives people show on Facebook are typically less-than-realistic interpretations of their real happiness. I spend more time being happy with people than bragging online about just how “happy” I am.

It hasn’t been a major life change. It’s not like this is some massive adjustment that will change the way I view the world. But it’s one small tweak I made (for frivolous reasons) that have had unintended positive results. So, if you’ve ever found yourself asking, “Should I delete the Facebook app?” I can’t tell you yes or no, but I’d at least encourage you to consider it.

I’m bad at lying, so I’ll just lay it out there: I’m not good at running. And I don’t really enjoy it. I mean, I LOVE the side-effects. I love the work of powering through and seeing how many miles I’ve clocked, how many steps I’ve taken, and feeling accomplished.

But the act of running? Pounding the pavement, and to a greater extent running on the treadmill, is not really something I call “fun.” I can have fun WHILE running, but…running, itself, is not fun. Am I not supposed to say that? Oh. Hopefully I didn’t burst any bubbles.

But, for all that, running is totally worth it. Come at it with the right attitude, and it can actually be fun. And the benefits of running far outweigh the minor inconvenience of the act of running.

1. A Healthy Heart

Let’s get real for a minute. When I was 12 years old, my dad died of a very sudden heart attack. He was 46. He was one of the healthiest people I knew. A lifetime spent doing physical labor meant he was one of the strongest human beings I knew. However, he smoked like a chimney and both of his parents died of heart attacks — his father was also in his 40’s.

Joe is one of my very best friends. He’s also got a master’s degree in athletic training, so he’s a huge supporter of my athletic ventures.

Knowing I’m at high risk, I need to be proactive. So, I run. Every step carries me a little further from a higher risk of heart disease and related health problems.

2. A Healthy Mind

The endorphin rush of physical activity is a natural anti-depressant and mood stabilizer. This is incredibly important in my life, since I’m living with bipolar disorder. I have had strong negative reactions to most medications I’ve tried, so fitness is a big part of my self-care regimen.

I literally run to “burn off the crazy.” And it works.

And it doesn’t just help with instability — it works for regular folks, too. Physical activity is a HUGE stress management tool. If I’m having a bad day at work, the best thing I can do is take a break and run until the stress is gone.

3. A Healthy Waistline

I’ve always sort of struggled with my weight. I was always jealous of girls who could hold a steady weight without trying. My weight fluctuates easily (usually in an upward trendline) and losing is hard. While I try to eat healthy on average, running means I can eat what I want to without having anxiety about food. I love things like pizza, hot wings and beer — those “loves” can add up to extra pounds easily.

When I’m training, beer is actually my favorite recovery treat after a run.

Having kicked an eating disorder’s ass, this is also important to my mental health. Running allows me to feel in control of my well-being without obsessing over what I eat. (Within reason. If you or someone you love has a unhealthy problem with exercising too much or obsessing over eating healthy, it can be also indicate problems. Don’t be afraid to ask questions or seek help!)

While losing weight hasn’t been the goal of half marathon training, I’ve already managed to lose 3 pounds since starting. That’s a pretty great side-effect if you ask me.

4. A Healthy Self Esteem

Think hard, back to the last time you conquered a big obstacle. I can think of a few examples: my first concert in college after taking a year off from playing flute; the day I earned my college degree; when I moved away to a new city and built a life of my own.

Take that feeling and metaphorically bottle it. Every time you go for a run, you get to take a swig of that magic bottle. Since running is NOT something that comes naturally to me, that feeling of accomplishment comes with every completed run. Outdoor or indoor, it’s a challenge to myself to go as far as I had planned.

5. A Healthy Involvement in the Community

Take a look at the races in your area. You’ll likely notice that most of them are charity runs. Any time I do one of these charity races, I get to feel the additional endorphin rush of supporting a good cause. Running those races also helps raise awareness.

And even aside from philanthropy, running is a great way to build relationships. Even if I don’t run directly with other people very often, people who run LOVE to talk about running and encourage each other. I have several co-workers that I like to chat with about running. It’s a surefire community-builder.

So, that’s why I run. Running allows me to be a better version of me. Are you a runner? Why do you run? Or, do you have another activity you do? I’d love your thoughts on the topic!

]]>http://kellymrivard.com/2015/02/02/why-i-run/feed/4why should i runkellymrivardwhy should i runbeer as a recovery drinkProductivity is hard.http://kellymrivard.com/2015/01/02/productivity-is-hard/
http://kellymrivard.com/2015/01/02/productivity-is-hard/#commentsFri, 02 Jan 2015 22:08:23 +0000http://kellymrivard.com/?p=3006Continue reading →]]>My personality is an odd-blend of a lackadaisical, roll-with-it attitude and a hyper-type A need to be on top of things. I can’t necessarily explain why some situations call for a drive to over-prepare and some call for little-to-no preparation at all — all I can say is that it’s worked out thus far.

In fact, the best speeches and presentations I’ve ever given typically had very little preparation at all. In high school, I won awards for essentially “winging” extemporaneous speeches in forensics competitions. When the opportunity to move to Kansas City arose, I kind of said, “Sure, why not?”

And then there are situations like this week.

I’m preparing to leave for my first ever cruise and the longest vacation I’ve ever taken. I’m missing a WHOLE WEEK of work (*GASP*). On top of that, Josh and I have been subsisting on microwave meals and junk food for the last several weeks because of the holiday rush and the roller coaster weather.

Neither of us have cared much about home-cooking anything except comfort food. My waistline and my overall feeling of grossness tell me it’s time to get back on track.

So, on this lovely extra day off (a New Years gift from my employer), I’ve been ridiculously proactive about both the cruise and Josh’s and my nutrition for the week leading up to it.

“Just how productive have you been, Kelly?”

Vacation is 8 days out and I’ve already bought all the extra travel-size things we’ll need. I even bought us both loufas to take with and leave behind when we come home — a trick I learned from a spring break study abroad trip to Mexico. I picked up a few clearances athletic tank tops to wear while we hike the rainforests of Tulum. And now I’m — already — sorting laundry that needs to be washed AND NOT WORN AGAIN before the trip.

In regards to food, well…not only did I buy groceries for every meal for the next 8 days, but I also pre-prepped the fruits and veggies for every meal. Potatoes and carrots have been chunked up and put in a quart Ziplock bag marked for the roast chicken we’ll be having Sunday evening. Peppers and onions have been cut for fajitas. Tonight’s meal is completely prepped. Chicken breast is stuffed with four cheese (the main one being garlic chevre) and herbs, with a generous helping of roasted garlic Parmesan zucchini and summer squash on the side.

Today, I’m working in Josh’s Star Wars-themed kitchen. It’s magnificent. And this is a sample of some of the work I knocked out in the kitchen today.

It feels good to be proactive and productive. It feels good to know that pretty much every meal for the next 8 days will be “plug and play” — very little prep required. But, extra days off in a busy schedule are rare, and it’s hard knowing that it’s unlikely this will ever become something I can regularly do.

Additionally, I think of all the things you’re “supposed” to do on a day off, and I wonder if I did it “wrong.” Should I have spent more time reading? Should I have taken a bubble bath? Was that long walk I took the dogs for this morning long enough?

The weirdest thing about this hyper-proactive day is that I actually, oddly, feel very fulfilled. Apparently running errands and then cutting up vegetables for two hours was exactly what I needed to.

Oh, and then I balanced my budget. And I actually enjoyed it.

It’s been a lovely, productive day.

Is…is this adulthood? Thought being productive wasn’t supposed to be this fun?

]]>http://kellymrivard.com/2015/01/02/productivity-is-hard/feed/0how to be productivekellymrivardhow to be productiveeasy meal prep tipsConquer the day.http://kellymrivard.com/2014/12/31/conquer-the-day/
http://kellymrivard.com/2014/12/31/conquer-the-day/#commentsWed, 31 Dec 2014 23:01:49 +0000http://kellymrivard.com/?p=3000Continue reading →]]>I’m bad at mornings. And while many factors of my life can change depending on mood swings, mornings are something that I’m bad at all the time. All. The. Time.

So, how do I combat it?

Every morning, as I peel my body, unhappy about the jarring activity of waking up, out of bed and I look at my dog and I say, “Let’s conquer the day.” Sometimes it’s, “Time to conquer the day,” or “Wanna conquer the day, Rory?!” Either way, no matter what, it involves conquering the day and my dog wagging her tail because she has no idea what I’m saying and she knows she’s about to be fed.

Then, I (slowly) get dressed and trip over Rory while she runs happy laps around my feet. I take her (and, if both of them are with me, her “sister” Zelda who technically belongs to my boyfriend) outside. During nice times of the year, the pleasant morning weather is a pleasant, gentle reminder of how great the day can be. This time of year, I’m forcible jarred awake by the cold Midwestern winter.

For those who may not know her, this is Rory. She’s a longhaired miniature Dachshund. She greets every day with the utmost enthusiasm.

On this final morning of 2014, I’m not going to say I have New Years resolutions. I don’t. I learned a long time ago that if you want to make improvements, you shouldn’t wait for an arbitrary date to do it. Tackle what you can when you can. I will say that a new year, however, can welcome new chapters. It offers a sense of closure on days that were maybe harder to conquer.

2014 was a mixed year. The best parts were better than I could have imagined. The hard parts were hard, but no more difficult than anything else I’ve survived.

It marked my first year of employment at my current agency, which has been a wonderful roller coaster.

The year held several “seconds” for Josh and I — we’re in that amazing point in a relationship where things you did for your “first” year start shaping into possible long-term traditions

It was also the year we went on our first vacation together (you can watch the recap video Josh made of our Chicago vacation here).

I faced my fear of heights in the Sears Tower (now officially known as the Willis Tower).

It was ALSO the year where we went to our first Comic Con together and Josh had to fight happy tears when someone called him Tony Stark.

So tomorrow morning, I’m going to wake up and I’m going to look at my happy little dog and say, “Rory, let’s conquer the day.” And she will run happy laps as I get out of bed and start making breakfast. (I have tomorrow off. Naturally that means I’ll sleep in a bit later and make something delicious.)

And 2015 will be another 365 days to conquer. And I’m going to conquer the hell out of them.

2015 is the year I go on my first cruise, with Josh’s family. We leave the second weekend of January. I’ll probably blog about it.

2015 is the year I’ll run (and probably ride the struggle bus during) my first (possibly only) half marathon. I’m looking at you, Garmin Half! (Kudos to Brandi Buzzard Frobose for being the one who held me to this commitment.)

This will be the year I finally see Billy Joel, Bob Seger, and who knows who else in concert. (Another hat-tip to Brandi for being my “old soul” music companion and finding the tickets for these badass adventures.)

This is Brandi and I at the Kansas and Boston concert in Kansas City this past summer.

Oh, and the big kicker about 2015?

It’s the year I turn 25. It’s also the year that my father will have been gone for more than half of my life. So, it’s a big year for milestones.

A casually-maintained blog that usually averages 1,300 unique visitors and 1,800 views a month looks pretty piddly compared to almost 300,000 views.

When a few dozen extra daily views turned into a few thousand extra daily views, I realized I was going viral.

This is how I felt.

At first, I tried to follow all the comments. I had to stop, because it was too hard to focus on life if I stopped for WordPress notification.

When I set aside time to read the comments, it was overwhelming. I’d say 95% were a show of support. People shared all the ways that 4-H changed their lives. The other 5% didn’t read the post all the way and some never even read past the title (the post was satirical, so the title was misleading). There were even a few odd death threats. I mean, I should have known to get some push-back when I wrote a post entitled “4-H is Evil and Bad For Kids.” And amidst the hundreds of other comments, there was one gentleman who scolded me for using a misleading title that could have hurt my efforts to correct misconceptions* about 4-H.

After the first day, I started getting messages from friends and acquaintances saying they’d seen my post all over Facebook and Twitter. I even told my boss that I was going viral, and he told me that he had Facebook friends from back home (where he had been in 4-H) sharing it.

Over the next few weeks, the traffic and comments tapered off but still aren’t back to normal. I’m not sure when I can expect the stats on that to drop back down to pre-viral numbers. I actually think I could have ridden the wave a little longer, but I was so overwhelmed that I took a pretty lengthy break from blogging.

I find it fitting that this bunny sums up how I felt by the time the viral spike ended, since I showed rabbits as a 4-H project.

So, if you’re asking yourself the question, “What can I expect if my blog goes viral?” then here are some thoughts:

There’s no way to anticipate it, guess at it, or plan for it until it happens for the first time. That post was the last thing I expected to go viral with. Sometimes old content just catches a (very, very large) second wind. If it ever happens again, though, I’ll be better-equipped to handle it.

Decide how you’re going to manage the influx of notifications. You likely won’t have time to respond to every single comment, and you probably won’t be available to check in every time a notification comes through.

Try not to take it too seriously. Going viral is FUN but it’s easy to get caught up in the numbers and the rush. Unless you’re making a living off of your blog, it’s still a hobby and should never be a larger source of stress than enjoyment.

People will disagree with you. Decide your tactic for engaging them (if you decide to) and stick to it. I’m a big fan of agreeing to disagree, or disagreeing respectfully. If people get out of hand (excessive swearing, threats, etc.) I delete the comment and consider banning them from commenting.

You’re going to learn. You’ll learn about your patience, your time management, your attention span, and just how serious you are about blogging. Have an open mind.

No matter how strongly someone disagrees with you, death threats are never okay. I was able to report commenters for abuse (due to threatening language) but different blogging platforms offer different paths to handle these situations. I think every blogger should know what to do if someone threatens them on their blog, even if you never intend to go viral.

The content of the viral post may be challenged, and you may actually learn something because of it. No one likes being disagreed with, but sometimes you have to admit the person has a point. For me, the gentleman who suggested that I was actually hurting my cause by being satirical actually caused me to sit back and think about the ramifications. I don’t regret my original post or the approach I took, but I learned.

If you want to maintain momentum, be consistent. Post good quality content on a regular schedule, otherwise your spike will die just as fast as it rose. That’s one area where I went wrong, although the break was nice.

There’s plenty more I could write, but if I told you everything, it would take all the fun out of the adventure! I wish every blogger could experience the rush of going viral.

If you have any questions about the experience, feel free to ask them in the comments section. And if you have any advice for bloggers about going viral, please share it in the comments as well!

Thanks so much for reading, and for giving me this great experience!

*The Eatocracy article I wrote that in response to actually features multiple viewpoints about 4-H, one of which is highly negative. I don’t remember ALL of the context from the time of original writing, and I believe the Eatocracy article changed over time as well.

]]>http://kellymrivard.com/2014/12/19/what-is-it-like-to-go-viral/feed/0what is it like to go viralkellymrivardwhat is it like to go viralI hear ya, Nic. Totally weird.what is it like to go viralexcited emma stone giftired bunny gif